The invention relates to a device for the disposal of liquid media, such as cooling-lubricating liquids containing production residue, such as chips from industrial processes, wherein these media can be returned via at least one pipe line to a return reservoir and from there through a pipe line connected near the bottom to at least one collecting tank by means of at least one return pump.
In a known device of this type (EP Patent Publication EP 0 593 005 A1), a rectangular return reservoir with a flat bottom inclined toward one side is provided. A pipe line bringing in liquid media terminates in the area of the higher end of the bottom of the return reservoir, while a pipe line leading to a collecting tank is connected to the area of the lower end of the bottom of the return reservoir. Spray nozzles are provided just above the bottom near the higher end of the return reservoir, are directed toward the lower end of the bottom of the return reservoir and liquid media flows out of them. It is disadvantageous here that deposits of production residue in the return reservoir can only be prevented by the inclination of the bottom and the additional employment of liquid media emerging through the spray nozzles.
It is an object of the invention to prevent deposits of production residue in the return reservoir in a less elaborate manner and to clean the return reservoir at the same time.
This object is attained in preferred embodiments of the invention by providing a device of the type mentioned at the outset wherein the return reservoir has the approximate shape of a standing circular cylinder, in which at least one pipe line supplying liquid media terminates approximately tangentially. Because of this arrangement, a circulating flow of the liquid media is generated in the return reservoir, which cleans the interior wall of the return reservoir and prevents the deposit of production residues.
To achieve this effect also on the bottom of the return reservoir, in preferred embodiments of the invention, the return reservoir has a bottom which is downwardly bulged, having a bulge continuously adjoining a jacket of the circular cylinder and having a connector for the pipe line to at least one collecting tank disposed at the center in the lowest spot of the bottom.
The device in accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention is advantageously further designed in such a way that the connector in the bottom of the return reservoir has an approximately ellipsoid opening corresponding to the intersection of the bulge of the bottom with the cross section of the pipe line. By means of this arrangement it is possible to prevent the formation of a suction vortex in the area of the connector.
There are several options for feeding the liquid media containing production residue to the return reservoir according to various contemplated preferred embodiments of the invention.
According to certain preferred embodiments the tangentially terminating pipe line contains at least one feed pump for the media to be disposed of.
According to certain preferred embodiments the pipe line has a drop which makes possible the flow of the liquid media from the collecting point to the tangential termination in the return reservoir.
Finally, according to certain preferred embodiments the return reservoir is embodied to be pressure-resistant and its interior placed under reduced pressure by means of an evacuating device connected to its upper area.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.